Building elements such as struts are used for support structures and bracing members. The struts may be produced in a variety of sizes and steel gages. Frequently, the strut is formed with holes or slots to facilitate securing sections of the strut with one another and for securing the strut to walls and other structures or appurtenances. The strut is generally secured using a threaded rod, washers and nuts. Typically, the end of a threaded rod is inserted through a slot in the strut whereupon a washer and nut are secured to the end thereof. The washer and nut prevent the rod from being withdrawn through the slot in the channel.
Different types of braces are currently used for connecting together multiple struts. For example, some current designs use hinges that pivot two elements into an installed position. However, the hinge adds unnecessary components and labor, and is often a weak point of the overall fitting. Furthermore, the hinge may not prevent rotation relative to the strut. Other current designs use hooked and/or slotted washer solutions. However, hooked designs typically don't have load capacity in all directions, and the hooks/slotted washer fail to prevent rotation when coupled to the strut.